Members of the University of Colorado community today praised the contributions of former CU President Quigg Newton, who died this morning at the age of 91.
Newton was the eighth president of the University of Colorado, serving from Dec. 15, 1956 through June 30, 1963. The former Denver mayor died at Denver Health Medical Center. Newton was admitted to the hospital Wednesday after suffering a serious fall and cardiac arrest.
"As Quigg Newton's physician and friend, I am deeply saddened by his passing," said CU-Boulder Chancellor Richard L. Byyny. "To me, he was much more than a patient; he was a good friend, a visionary academic administrator, an innovative civic leader and a great Coloradan. And, yet this remarkable man was characterized by tremendous humility and appreciation of the work of others.
"Fortunately for us, Quigg Newton became president of the University of Colorado at a pivotal time in our history. His early leadership laid the groundwork for the excellence we now enjoy in many corners of the university. For example, he played a key role in the early development of such world-class programs as physics, chemistry and space sciences.
"Clearly, Quigg understood the university's potential for greatness and ceaselessly promoted CU as an engine of economic opportunity for the state. He also had a vision of the university's role in meeting the urgent needs of society. In his words, a university "must be a center of creative thought and must extend the frontier of knowledge.
"We at CU-Boulder offer our condolences to the family and friends of Quigg Newton, whose leadership and personal qualities have earned him a prominent place in the history of Colorado and higher education."
"He was a great man," said law professor and former CU-Boulder Chancellor James Corbridge. "The state has lost a wonderful human being and a great Colorado citizen."
Corbridge said Newton had remained very interested in what was happening at the university and was active and supportive after leaving the presidency.
At CU, Newton was instrumental in revitalizing the honors program, education, music, history, economics, psychology and English. He was proud of the campus's advancements in interdisciplinary work, such as the Institute of Behavioral Science, the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics, the Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research and the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. International education was a high priority for Quigg Newton, who helped bring greater emphasis to international activities at CU.
A private family service will be held. The family prefers that, instead of flowers, contributions may be made to the University of Colorado Foundation for the Quigg and Virginia Newton Endowed Chair in Leadership, the University of Denver School of International Studies, or a charity of the donor's choice.
FACT SHEET
University of Colorado Presidency of Quigg Newton
April 4, 2003
* Quigg Newton was the eighth president of the University of Colorado, serving for six and one-half years from Dec. 15, 1956 through June 30, 1963.
* Newton told a Denver newspaper in 2001 that of all his positions, he most enjoyed serving as president of CU. His worst moment, he said, was when he made the decision to resign.
* Newton presided over CU during a period of great growth in physical facilities and academic quality.
* Institutes that were established at CU-Boulder during Newton's presidency included the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics in 1962, now known as JILA, involving scientists from CU-Boulder and the National Bureau of Standards. The National Bureau of Standards is now the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In 2001, two JILA fellows, Carl Wieman and Eric Cornell, received the Nobel Prize in Physics.
* Other CU-Boulder institutes launched during Newton's presidency included the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, the Institute of Behavioral Science and the Institute for Computing Science. Both LASP and IBS are among the most vital and important units on campus today.
* Other new campus programs or facilities launched by Newton included the Office of International Education, the cyclotron and an expansion of programs at the Arctic and Alpine Institute. During Newton's tenure, the university was instrumental in attracting the National Center for Atmospheric Research to Boulder. At the same time, the Medical Center in Denver experienced dynamic growth.
* In an interview in the Colorado Alumnus in 1963, just before he departed from CU, Newton said:
"My feeling was and is now that a great or first-rate university has something to give the state and the nation that a mediocre university can't provide.
"Â… A great university can provide top quality education for its students. It can make a major contribution to knowledge. The first-rate university can have a tremendously upgrading influence on the whole educational system of the state, and can benefit the entire citizenry through the cultural enrichment which the university provides."